Something I will never understand

[tinkerbell198530]

What are swaps? I keep reading about them and to me it is like reading a foreign lanuage

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

A swap is where you sign-up for a specific category in a group, you make a set of your category for each person in that group, and mail it to the hostess. She will then sort everything for each person and will then mail you back a complete set for that group.

So, let's say you sign-up for the following group in a Magic Kingdom Swap"

A. Rides
1. It's a Small World - Tinkerbell
2. Peter Pan's Flight - AWM
3. Dumbo - NemoMom
4. Winnie the Pooh Ride - MorgansMom
5. Snow White's Scary Adventures - Party of 3

Okay, you signed up for It's a Small World, so you will make 5 sets for that group. Your set would contain however many elements the hostess specifies. Let's say this one is 2 elements. You choose to make a topper, a photo mat and a journal box. That is considered a set.

You've made your 5 sets for It's a Small World. Now, you will mail all 5 sets to the hostess.

Everyone else made 5 sets for their ride too.

The hostess gets all the sets and sorts them out so that each person gets one of everything.

The hostess mails back to you and when you receive your package, you will have one set for each of those 5 rides.

Does that help clear it up for you? Let us know if you have questions.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

All I will add to DIT is that it is an addiction!

The biggest "benefit" scrapbook wise is you get many different elements with different paper and embellishments. When you put that scrapbook together, you already have half the work done. (Check out the thread Scapping with Swap Items)

The biggest "benefit" you will get is a new group of friends who will support you and your work. Everyone is so nice. It is a great community to belong.

And they start you out slow -- you can join a Newbie Swap or a regular swap. Most hostesses request you only join 2 groups your first time with them. Then suddenly you blink and are in 12 groups!

In a sticky at the top of the page is the Swap Calendar -- that will give you an idea of what is coming up. About 1 to 2 weeks before the swap the hostess will start an interest thread. That allows her to tell us the guidelines and it allows us to ask her for more categories! Most of the details get pounded out before signups.

I hope you join us!

 

[MazdaUK]

My scrapping only really took off once I started swapping! My early pages (all "official CM") are very simple and plain, then I started in swaps (you would NOT want my first pieces - I cringe about how bad they were!) and got such lovely pieces, it helped me think outside the box about different ways of putting things together.

It is very addictive - I have several boxes of stuff waiting to be used but when you come to do an album your pages come together really quickly - I did my summer vacation album (2 weeks) in less than 6 weeks.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

MazdaUK is correct! By joining the swaps I learned to push myself more and I learned many, many more techniques. The tutorials in the sticky threads are great resources.

 

[tinkerbell198530]

Yes that helps a lot and I can't wait to join a newbie swaps

 

[rlovew]

Hey there- welcome. There is a newbie swap starting in a couple of weeks so plan on joining.

Rebecca

 

[tinkerbell198530]

Hey there- welcome. There is a newbie swap starting in a couple of weeks so plan on joining.

Rebecca

I will look into it